


The Race Around the World

by Pratigyakrishnaki



Category: Shiva Trilogy - Amish Tripathi
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 16:50:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6247909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pratigyakrishnaki/pseuds/Pratigyakrishnaki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ganesh and Karthik made a bet to see who could race around the world first... The winner was unexpected you could say.</p>
<p>Takes place after the Shiva Trilogy (But you don't need to read that series to read this story) Also just slightly spoiler-y</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Race Around the World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [arpita](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arpita/gifts), [annsgopal94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/annsgopal94/gifts).



> MAJOR SPOILER: Okay so, in this story, Sati doesn't die. She lives happily ever after with Shiva, and that's how I wished it were. Obviously that's not what happens.

“ _Dada_ , I bet I could beat you in a race.” Ganesh and Kartik were lazing around under the shade of a large Banyan tree, sucking on ripe mangoes. 

“Hah, Kartik I'm much older than you, I’d beat you in a heartbeat”

" _Dada_ , it's been ages since the war, and you've gotten fatter than Nandi! Even _Baba_ says so!" 

"Oh yeah? Then let's race! To the Vishnu temple and back!”

“Not fair! You know all the shortcuts!”

“Fine! Let's go to the _Mansarovar_ and back."

"Oh please! I could do that in my sleep!"

"Then let's do all of Bhaarat! That good enough for you?”

“Hmm, yes. _Dada_ , let’s do that. We'll take our chariots!"

"Kartik you were gifted with the fastest chariot! The peacock chariot! I'm not racing you in that!"

"Come on _Dada_! You aren't chicken are you?"

"Fine! The entire world! We have to race the entire world three times around! Regardless of how long it takes! On our chariots!" Ganesh spoke with a smile growing on his face, a plan in mind.

"You're on!"

They both got up, brushed themselves off and ran to the _Kailash_ palace, and into the _Mandara_ grove where Shiva and Sati were sitting in peace, enjoying the scenery around them. 

" _Baba_!" Karthik yelled.

" _Maa!_ " Ganesh called.

Shiva and Sati both laughed as Kartik and Ganesh raced into the garden.

"Kartik? Ganesh? Everything okay?" Sati stood up and hugged them gently.

" _Maa_ , we're going on a race!" Kartik joyfully exclaimed. “ _Dada_ and I are getting bored. There isn’t much to do here.”

"Where are you two racing to?" Shiva asked.

“Your darling son, _Baba_ , has decided to race around the world three times with me on our chariots.” Ganesh explained.

“The world? On your chariots? Karthik that isn’t fair, you have the Peacock Chariot, and Ganesh has the much smaller Mouse Chariot. It isn’t fair.”

“ _Maa_ , let it go, even with the Peacock Chariot, I doubt that Karthik would beat me! With your blessing for victory I will win!” Ganesh spoke, “ _Baba_ , will you be referee and make sure that Kartik doesn’t pull any tricks on me?”

“I? Pull tricks on you? Would I ever do that?” Kartik mocked Ganesh, his tone teasing.

“Now now, no teasing. Get your _vahanas_ and be back here in 10 minutes.” Shiva spoke with a twinkle in his eyes. Both boys swiftly left to bring their chariots.

Sati looked to Shiva with worry in her eyes.

“Shiva how is this fair? Ganesh is going to lose and Karthik will never let it go.”

“Darling, don’t be too quick to judge. Ganesh knows what he’s doing. You just might be surprised.” 

Karthik arrived in the grove first, with his chariot, the Peacock Chariot. The Peacock Chariot was dazzling, the bright jewels on it casting light even in the darkest shadows. It was a unique chariot driven by three peacocks which even allowed it to fly, and looking at it gave the impression of a male peacock with its plume fanned wide open. It was a gift from Indra, and was deemed the fastest chariot on earth.

Karthik stopped the chariot, jumped off and walked to stand by his parents, waiting for Ganesh to enter the grove.

It took Ganesh a lot longer to reach his parents. He came on the Mouse Chariot. It wasn’t anything special. With the pointed nose and the round oval-like shape it resembled a mouse, which led to it being called the Mouse Chariot. It was run by two older horses who no longer had much power left in them. Ganesh got stuck with this chariot mostly because of his generosity. When everyone was choosing a chariot, he let everyone go first and all that remained was the Mouse Chariot, which he took for himself.

Ganesh entered the grove and stopped his chariot right next to Karthik’s before getting off and bowing to his parents.

“Sons, let this be a fair race: Thrice around the world and back to this grove. First one back wins.” Shiva spoke, setting the terms of the race.

Ganesh and Karthik both bowed to their parents asking for blessing before the start of the race.

“ _Vijayee Bhava_ : May you be victorious!” Shiva and Sati spoke before both boys climbed onto their respective chariots.

“Ready?”

“Set!”

“Go!” Shiva and Sati said in unison.

Before Ganesh could even take a breath, Karthik literally flew out of the grove, spurring his _vahana_ to go as fast as possible.

Ganesh on the other hand, sat back not moving. He heard his horses whinny in fear and discomfort.

“Ganesh, _putra_ , why have you not left?” Sati asked. “Karthik will beat you.”

“No _Maa_ , he will not. Do not worry.” Ganesh’s voice was calm and collected while a small smile lit his face.

 Shiva stood back, realizing the plan Ganesh had formulated didn’t involve him leaving the grove.

Ganesh stepped down from the chariot while it groaned under his weight. He walked over to the horses and patted them, whispering niceties under his breath. He gave them some water and fodder, while he turned towards Sati and Shiva. He looked to their seat and then back at them.

“ _Maa_ , _Baba_ please wait here a moment and do not sit down.” 

Ganesh walked around the grove picking flowers, choosing only the sweetest smelling, and leaves, choosing only the softest to touch, he could find. Sati observed him, confusion growing on her face, while Shiva stood with a hint of a smile on his. Ganesh turned to Shiva and Sati’s seat, placed the leaves on the rocks to soften the seat, and placed the flowers around the leaves in a beautiful formation. Ganesh then turned to Sati and Shiva. He led them to the arrangement and sat them down.

He, then, looked for the most exquisite and beautiful flowers. Yellow marigolds to complement Sati’s red _saree_ and white jasmine to complement Shiva’s complexion. He then found some _billipatra_ and came back to where his parents were sitting. He strung some of the yellow flowers into a garland and a crown and gently placed them on his mother. He then took some of the white flowers, and bound them together into a garland for his father. He took the remaining flowers and the _billipatra_ and offered them to his parents’ feet.

“Ganesh, what are you doing?” Sati said with a touch of laughter in her voice.

“ _Maa_ , you and _Baba_ are my entire world. I do not need to race around the world when you two are sitting right in front of me.”

Ganesh got up, folded is hands into the _Anjali_ pose and walked thrice around his parents, chanting, “ _Om Namah Shivayah_. Glory to Shiva. _Om Namah Shivayai._ Glory to Shakti.” He halted in front of his parents kneeling while both Sati and Shiva got to their feet, smiling with pride.

Shiva reached down and lifted his son up by his shoulders. “Ganesh, today you have made me proud. You truly are the most knowledgeable. It is my great honor and privilege that I have you as a son. Son, you have won the race.”

Sati reached up to Ganesh and grabbed him by the cheek, pinching hard. “My son! My sweet sweet son. You truly have won the race!”

“ _Maa_ , I’m glad that I’ve won but please let go of my cheek! It hurts!” Ganesh spoke with embarrassment but also happiness and great love for his parents.

He sat them back down, went to his chariot and pulled out a basket full of laddoos and grapes.

Sati and Shiva burst out into laughter.

“ _Maa_ , _Baba_ , while we wait for Karthik, let’s eat!”

\------

After a little Karthik returned to the grove, panting and sweating. He had driven the chariot around the entire world three times! The peacocks driving the chariot looked exhausted. Karthik stopped the chariot outside the grove, gave the birds some water and food and strolled into the grove. “Hmmm, I bet _Dada_ is still on his first lap, let me take my time in reaching _Maa_ and _Baba_.”

He walked into the clearing, while catching his breath, and his jaw dropped in surprise.

“ _Dada_!?? What… How… I didn’t even see you pass me! How on earth did you win!”

“Karthik, my entire world is right here, contained in _Maa_ and _Baba_. You never clarified that the Earth was what you were referring to.”

“ _Dada_!” Karthik rolled his eyes and smiled. “Fine, I guess you win! But if we had said the Earth, I would have won!”

“Yes, yes, okay,” Ganesh conceded, “Now come enjoy the feast with us.” Ganesh patted the spot next to him.

“Hey are those laddoos? Gimme some!”

**Author's Note:**

> My most recent piece of work... Let me know what you think :)
> 
> Some notes/definitions:
> 
> Anjali: Hand posture with hands pressed together  
> Baba: Father  
> Bhaarat: India  
> Billipatra: three leafed small plant, traditionally sacred to Shiva  
> Dada: Brother  
> Indra: God of Thunder  
> Ladoos: rounded indian sweets  
> Maa: Mother  
> Mandara: Sacred garden made by Shiva for Sati/Parvati  
> Mansarovar: sacred/ancient lake located in Tibet today  
> Putra: son  
> Vahana: Chariot/vehicle  
> Vijayee Bhava: "May you be victorious!" blessing


End file.
